Roof gutter and protector

ABSTRACT

A combination roof gutter and an elongated mesh screen overlying the gutter for preventing debris from collecting therein. The sides of the gutter have flanges extending longitudinally therealong adjacent their upper edges, which flanges support opposite longitudinal edges of the screen. The screen includes elongated parallel wires extending longitudinally of the screen and interwoven cross wires extending transversely of the screen. The cross wires are deformed along lines paralleling the longitudinal wires to form a crease in the screen which projects downwardly into the gutter. The crease directs water down and into the gutter. A raised shoulder extends continuously along an outer edge of the flange farthest from the roof to prevent water flowing along the screen from overflowing the edge of the gutter.

United States Patent 1191 Abramson June 26, 1973 ROOF GUTTER ANDPROTECTOR Primary Examiner-Samih N. Zaharna [76] Inventor: Stanley L.Abrhmson, 1725-3 s.w. Grange Kelok Road, Lake Oswego, Oreg. Hartwell97034 22 Filed: Dec. 29, 1971 ABSTRACT [211 App] NOJ 213,496 Acombination roof gutter and an elongated mesh screen overlying thegutter for preventing debris from collecting therein. The sides of thegutter have flanges [52] U.S. Cl. 210/474 extending longitudinallytherealong adjacent their [51] Int. Cl B0111 23/00 upper edges, whichflanges support opposite longitudi Field 0f Search nal edges of thescreen. The screen includes elongated parallel wires extendinglongitudinally of the screen and interwoven cross wires extendingtransversely of References Cited the screen. The cross wires aredeformed'along lines UNITEDYSTATES PATENTS paralleling the longitudinalwires to form a crease in the 2,717,561 9/1955 Bearden 210/474 Screenwhich Projects downwardly the gutter- The 3,351,296 11/1967 wennerstmm210/474 crease directs water down and into the gutter. A raised2,209,741 7 1940 Sullivan et 1, 210 474 shoulder extends continuouslyalong ,an outer edge of 2,988,226 7/1961 Campbell 210/474 the flangefarthest from the roof to prevent water flow- 3,63 ,383 /1971 Reeves210/474 ing along the screen from overflowing the edge of the 3,420,3781/1969 Turner 210 474 gutter. 3,067,881 12/1962 Goosmann 210/474 3Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 ROOF GUTTER AND PROTECTOR This inventionrelates to a roof gutter and protector therefor.

In the past, various types of gutters for collecting water runoff from aroof, and protectors for preventing leaves and other debris fromcollecting in the gutter have been devised. Such previous gutters andprotectors, however, have not been altogether satisfactory, in that forthe most part, the protectors include merely a continuous span ofscreened or perforated material. These generally have been effective toprevent debris from collecting in the gutter, however, in many instancesthe water draining from the roof merely follows a surface of theprotector and is carried over the gutter to fall on the ground. Also,previous gutter and protector combinations often have been difficult toinstall.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a roof gutterand protector combination which solves, in a simple and effectivemanner, the abovenoted disadvantages of previous designs.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a novelprotector for a roof gutter which comprises an elongated mesh screenwhich may be laid over the top of a roof gutter, with such screen havinga downwardly projecting crease formed therein extending along the lengthof the screen. The downwardly projecting crease in the screen iseffective to direct water draining from the roof downwardly and into thegutter. The crease also provides greater rigidity for a length of screenprotector whereby such is less susceptible to buckling twisting andsagging both during and after installation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel roof gutter andprotector combination wherein the gutter has a raised shoulder extendingcontinuously along its outer edge with the shoulder projecting above thelevel of the top surface of the protector. The shoulder is effective toprevent water carried along the screen from overflowing the edge of thegutter.

Still another object is to provide a roof gutter and protectorcombination which includes novel clip means for securing the protectoron the gutter.

These and other objects will become more fully apparent as the followingdescription is read in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roof gutter and screen protectorcombination constructed in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention, with a por tion of the screen magnified;

' FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the gutter and screencombination illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of modified version of thegutter and screen combination of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a clip used in the combination forsecuring the protective screen to the roof gutter. I v

Referring now to the drawings, and first more specifically to FIG. 1, atis indicated generally a portion of an elongated roof gutter which maybe attached to the eaves of a roof to catch water draining from theroof. The gutter has opposed, substantially parallel, laterally spaced,sides 12, 14, and a bottom 16 extending longitudinally of the gutter. Asis seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, upper marginal portions of the sides aredeformed to form horizontal supporting flanges 20, 22 which projectinwardly toward the center of the gutter and extend longitudinally ofthe gutter. A continuous shoulder 26 extends along side 14 adjacent theouter edge of flange 22, with such shoulder projecting upwardly from theflange. Shoulder 26 and flange 22 are formed by a marginal edge portionof the front side of the gutter being deformed in a reverse bendextending upwardly and then downwardly to form the shoulder, with theremainder of the marginal edge portion extending inwardly to provide asubstantially horizontal flange expanse. As is seen in FIG. I, aplurality of spaced-apart oblong drain holes 30 are formed in flange 22.

An elongated mesh screen protector 34 overlies the gutter with itsopposed marginal edge portions resting on flanges 20, 22. The edge ofthe protector supported on flange 22 is disposed inwardly on the gutterfrom shoulder 26. The shoulder projects to, or somewhat above, the levelof the top surface of the screen.

As is best seen in the magnified portion of FIG. 1, the screen includesa plurality of substantially parallel, laterally spaced wires 36extending longitudinally of the screen, and a plurality of laterallyspaced cross wires 38 which extend transversely of the screen and areinterwoven with wires 36.

Wires 38 are deformed along lines paralleling wires 36 to produce acrease 40 which projects downwardly and into the gutter. This crease, orfold, is easily prepared due to the characteristics of such a screen.The fold acts to direct water flowing across the screen downwardly andinto the gutter and also lends rigidity to the screen.

The screen is secured to flange 22 by a plurality of spaced-apart clips42. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 specifically, a clip includes anelongated malleable member having one end portion 42a bent back and overone face of a central portion 42b of the clip for gripping flange 22therebetween, as seen in FIG. 2. The other end portion 420 of the memberis bent back and over the opposite face of the central portion forgripping the edge of the screen therebetween, also as seen in FIG. 2.Prior to installation, clips 42 have the shape illustrated in solidoutline in FIG. 4, with portion 42a bent back and over one face ofportion 42b and portion 42c extending upwardly from central portion 42b.Portions 42a, 42b are clipped onto flange 22, a marginal edge portion ofscreen 34 is laid on top of central portion 42b, and portion 420 is bentdown and over the screen, thus to secure the edge of the screen to thegutter.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. This modifiedversion of the invention differs from that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2,in that it includes two vertically spaced flanges or projections, 52, 54extending along one side of the gutter in place of the single flange 20illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the version illustrated in FIG. 3,flange 52 also referred to as rest means is disposed at substantiallythe same elevation as flange 56 at the opposite side of the gutter,while flange 54 also referred to as rest means is spaced at a higherelevation, overlying flange 52.

With such a gutter and screen combination, the user has. the option ofplacing the screen protector substantially horizontally over the top ofthe gutter with its opposite edges supported on flanges 52, 56 asillustrated in FIG. 3, or disposing the screen on an incline with oneedge margin of this screen resting on flange 54 and the opposite edgemargin resting on flange 56. With the left margin of the screensupported on flange 52 below flange 54 it is effectively secured'againstbeing liftedby winds andblown from the gutter. Explaining further; in

areas where high winds may occur a gutter protector, unless securelyheld in place on the gutter, may act somewhat like an airfoil and tendto lift from the gutter when high winds occur. Flange 54 disposed'abovethe" i left margin of the screen and clips 42 on its rightmargin wouldhold the screen against such lifting. With the left margin of thescreensupported on flange 54, and thus on an incline, there is a greaterlikelihoodthat suchwill be self-cleaning, in that debris coming onto theprotec tor may more easily be washed therefrom down the in- V cline. t aI Water flowing from'a roof and onto the protectorfwill e have atendency tofollow the screen and flow along the underside of the screen.Crease 40 acts to direct such water downwardly and into the gutter.Watenwhich may reach the outer edge of the screen is prevented byshoulder 26 from overflowing the edge of the gutter.

While alternate embodiments of the invention have skilled in the artthat further variations and modifications are possible withoutdepartingfrom thespirit of the invention. g V t t It is claimed and desired tosecureby letters patent:

l. The combination of an" elongated roof gutter in-1 been disclosedherein, it should be obvious to those 1 eluding front and'rear wallsandabottom joining said front and rear walls,

said rear wall having an upstandingtop margin" and i i t a fold formedtherein spaced downwardly from said top margin and extendingalong thelength of the gutter which fold projects toward the gutter's front 1 I awall, saidfold-having a flat expanse along the topt v gutter andcontinuing further in a substantially hojr-, V V V izontal flangeexpanse which is disposed at a level f 7 below the level of saidshoulder, and

an elongated protective screenextending along the gutter adjacentitstop, said screen havin'gfront and rear elongated outer marginsresting on said flange expanseo'f said front wall and said flat expanseof said fold, respectively, and confined on front and f upstanding topmarginirespectively, t-

said flange expanse of said front wall being conqstructed and arrangedtoprovide for drainage of dinally of the screen directly adjacent saidflange expanse, said creaseincluding' abutting folds of screen wherebythe crease is closed.

Thecombination of claim 1, which further com V prisesrneans'mechanicallysecuring the outer margin of the screen to saidflange inwardly of the shoulder.

3. The combination of claim L'wherein said flange is perforate to act asa drain 'rneans in a region inwardly extendrear sides of the gutter bysaid shoulder andsaidf water away from said shoulder and into theinterior v of the gutter; said elongated protective screen being foldedto provide a crease extending longituf

1. The combination of an elongated roof gutter including front and rearwalls and a bottom joining said front and rear walls, said rear wallhaving an upstanding top margin and a fold formed therein spaceddownwardly from said top margin and extending along the length of thegutter which fold projects toward the gutter''s front wall, said foldhaving a flat expanse along the top thereof providing a shelf in agutter, said front wall adjacent the top of the gutter extendingupwardly and then downwardly in a reverse bend which forms a shoulderalong the front of the gutter and continuing further in a substantiallyhorizontal flange expanse which is disposed at a level below the levelof said shoulder, and an elongated protective screen extending along thegutter adjacent its top, said screen having front and rear elongatedouter margins resting on said flange expanse of said front wall and saidflat expanse of said fold, respectively, and confined on front and rearsides of the gutter by said shoulder and said upstanding top margin,respectively, said flange expanse of said front wall being constructedand arranged to provide for drainage of water away from said shoulderand into the interior of the gutter, said elongated protective screenbeing folded to provide a crease extending longitudinally of the screendirectly adjacent said flange expanse, said crease including abuttingfolds of screen whereby the crease is closed.
 2. The combination ofclaim 1, which further comprises means mechanically securing the outermargin of the screen to said flange inwardly of the shoulder.
 3. Thecombination of claim 1, wherein said flange is perforate to act as adrain means in a region inwardly of said shoulder.